Notre Dame star transfer immediately eligible

The verdict is in: Notre Dame officially snags a Nebraska player.

As of today, former Husker forward Jessica Shepard of Nebraska will be joining the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame for her junior year. The NCAA just made this announcement that the former two-time All-Big Ten transfer has been approved and will be effective on November 1, 2017.

Shepard wastes no time by putting on a Notre Dame jersey for the No. 5 Irish’s game versus Indiana University in an exhibition game, which takes place at 7 p.m. ET at the Purcell Pavilion at the Joyce Center on Notre Dame’s campus.

As only a sophomore, Shepard started all 29 of Nebraska’s game and 59 games in total for the Huskers. This leaves her with two seasons left of eligibility remaining in her college career.

Shepard’s list of accomplishments heading to Notre Dame is far from short. In 2016, she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and secured a spot on the all-Big Ten team during both of her two Season with Nebraska.

In her 2016-2017 sophomore season, she averaged 18.6 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game, totaling an impressive 15 double-doubles. To top it off, Shepard earned a spot on the Naismith Award's Midseason Top 30 list. This list additionally includes her new Notre Dame teammates Brianna Turner and Arike Ogunbowale.

But before she finished strong as a sophomore, Shepard started out hot her freshman year by setting a Big Ten record when she was named the freshman rookie of the week ten times, on the way to Big Ten Freshman of the Year accolades.

In that same season, Shepard received two Big Ten Player of the Week awards and was also awarded the espnW National Player of the Week on January 25, 2016. She earned this award after scoring 35 points and grabbing 20 boards in a victory over Michigan and recording Nebraska’s first 30-point, 20-rebound game in their school history.

Fighting to win has been in her nature, and now, Shepard will carry this with her to her new team with the Fighting Irish.